Most maps show the world in two dimensions. These "flat" images can be very useful, but don't fully reveal what the land is like. New tools can help land trusts create more of a birds-eye view of their properties.

There are two general approaches to creating a 3D view of a property - use simple tools to create a picture image, or use more complex GIS tools to develop a more elaborate image.

SIMPLE 3D TOOLS

1.  Purchase a consumer mapping software package such as Topo! or DeLorme Street Atlas USA. These packages will create a 3D view, with shaded relief (if you live in a hilly area). They cost approximately $100 per state for detailed data, and use USGS topographic maps at different zoom (resolution) levels. You can draw in your own data and even link the Topo! product to ESRI GIS software. The DeLorme product allows users to add air photos to the map (for a cost). Another package is made by MapTech and has similar functions but with somewhat more detailed data (and costs about $300/state).

2.  Use GoogleEarth, a web-based earth browser that allows users to see 3D views with relief from any angle you choose. The basic version is free for personal use, but paid versions allow you to save higher resolution images from your screen view, as well as upload your own data.  Microsoft's Virtual Earth has somewhat similar capacities.

LEARN MORE about Google Earth and interactive web mapping... 

GIS 3D TOOLS

3D in GIS can be very useful in that you can drape a wide range of data over a 3D "scene".  However 3D extensions to GIS can be very demanding of high-end computer graphics hardware, and they can be quite prone to crashes.

ESRI's ArcGlobe program is part of its ArcMap software suite and can be used to create scenes with the curve of the Earth.  The ESRI 3D Analyst software is an add-on program that can be used to generate GIS-based 3D scenes and analysis.

In general, the best use of GIS 3D software is to create a scene with the appropriate data, then export it as a TIF file.  Create the largest pixel size image your computer can display to do this. Do not label your scene as 3D labels are very difficult to get right - instead, bring the TIF image into photo or illustration software and add labels (as well as color corrections) there.

3D MODELING TOOLS

For highly demanding 3D views, there is specialized software that can be used to build a virtual world that can look very realistic. The most commonly used package is the World Construction Set (WCS) and its companion, Visual Nature Studio.  You can browse examples on this site that list various artists who might be consultant candidates for your project.

Creating these images requires high-end computer capacity and very skilled operators but can produce stunning results for essential projects (such as fundraising for a key property acquisition).

A list of other modeling software options can be found here. The same site has an extensive tutorial about landscape modeling.  The Virtual Terrain Project is a more expansive site about virtual terrain modeling emphasizing open source software.

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